Cardioprotective activity of placental growth factor combined with oral supplementation of l-arginine in a rat model of acute myocardial infarction

Figures & data

Figure 1 (i and ii) Echocardiography after 4 weeks of AMI.

Notes: Images of a heart from the sham group (A), injection with normal saline (B), treatment with l-arginine (C), intramyocardial injection with 2 μg PlGF (D), and intramyocardial injection with 2 μg PlGF and combined treatment of l-arginine (E). **P<0.01.
Abbreviations: AMI, acute myocardial infarction; PlGF, placental growth factor; LVEDD, left ventricular end-diastolic dimension; LVESD, left ventricular end-systolic dimension; LVEF, left ventricular ejection fraction; LVFS, left ventricular fraction shortening.

Figure 2 Myocardial scar formations after AMI.

Notes: Myocardial scar formations from the sham group (A), injection with normal saline (B), treatment with l-arginine (C), intramyocardial injection with 2 μg PlGF (D), and intramyocardial injection with 2 μg PlGF and combined treatment with l-arginine (E). Viable myocardium was stained red, and fibrosis was stained blue. **P<0.01.
Abbreviations: AMI, acute myocardial infarction; PlGF, placental growth factor.

Figure 3 Angiogenesis in the peri-infarct area.

Notes: *P<0.05. **P<0.01. A, sham group; B, injection with normal saline; C, treatment with l-arginine; D, intramyocardial injection with PlGF; E, intramyocardial injection with 2 μg PlGF and combined treatment of l-arginine. Magnification ×200.
Abbreviation: PlGF, placental growth factor.

Figure 4 Arteriogenesis in the peri-infarct area.

Notes: **P<0.01. A, sham group; B, injection with normal saline; C, treatment with l-arginine; D, intramyocardial injection with PlGF; E, intramyocardial injection with 2 μg PlGF and combined treatment of l-arginine. Magnification ×100.
Abbreviation: PlGF, placental growth factor.

Figure 5 Content changes of eNOS, collagen I detected by Western blot.

Notes: Images of Western blot from the sham group (A), injection with normal saline (B), treatment with l-arginine (C), intramyocardial injection with 2 μg PlGF (D), and intramyocardial injection with 2 μg PlGF and combined treatment with l-arginine (E). *P<0.05.
Abbreviations: eNOS, endothelial nitric oxide synthase; PlGF, placental growth factor.

Figure 6 Plasma concentration of BNP by ELISA.

Notes: BNP of Sham group (A), injection with normal saline (B), treatment with l-arginine (C), intramyocardial injection with 2 μg PlGF (D), and intramyocardial injection with 2 μg PlGF and combined treatment with l-arginine (E). **P<0.01.
Abbreviations: BNP, brain natriuretic peptide; ELISA, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; PlGF, placental growth factor.